A London, south-west England schoolboy has become the world's first victim of severe epilepsy in medical history by testing a new device fitted to his skull to control seizures.
A neurostimulator, which sends electrical signals deep into his brain, has reduced Oran Nolson's daytime seizures by 80 percent. The surgery was carried out as part of a trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London in October, when Oran, now 13, was 12 years old. The surgery was part of a trial in partnership with University College London, King's College Hospital and the university. Of Oxford.
His mother Justine told the BBC that he is happy and his quality of life is much better.
“We have seen a huge improvement, the seizures have become less frequent and less severe. He's much more talkative, he's more engaged. He's 13 and I'm definitely a teenager now - he's happy to tell me no. But it adds to his quality of life when he can express himself better,'' she said.
ORAN is part of the CADET (Children's Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation for Epilepsy Trial) project, a series of trials assessing the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for peripheral - severe epilepsy.
The Picostim neurotransmitter is made by the UK company Amber Therapeutics. It sits beneath the skull and sends electrical signals deep into the brain, reducing his daytime seizures.
The CADET pilot will now enroll three additional patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, bringing to 22 patients to participate in the full trial.
A neurostimulator, which sends electrical signals deep into his brain, has reduced Oran Nolson's daytime seizures by 80 percent. The surgery was carried out as part of a trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London in October, when Oran, now 13, was 12 years old. The surgery was part of a trial in partnership with University College London, King's College Hospital and the university. Of Oxford.
His mother Justine told the BBC that he is happy and his quality of life is much better.
“We have seen a huge improvement, the seizures have become less frequent and less severe. He's much more talkative, he's more engaged. He's 13 and I'm definitely a teenager now - he's happy to tell me no. But it adds to his quality of life when he can express himself better,'' she said.
ORAN is part of the CADET (Children's Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation for Epilepsy Trial) project, a series of trials assessing the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for peripheral - severe epilepsy.
The Picostim neurotransmitter is made by the UK company Amber Therapeutics. It sits beneath the skull and sends electrical signals deep into the brain, reducing his daytime seizures.
The CADET pilot will now enroll three additional patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, bringing to 22 patients to participate in the full trial.
